Phoenix surface mission

MeteorWayne · May 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>During the first night on Mars (summer) the temperatures dropped to -88 celcius I just googled for the lowest temperatures on Earth.Antartica Vostok station (Russian) set a (non-confirmed) record in 1997!!! It was -91 °C (-132 °F) This is colder than Dry Ice! Posted by efron_24</DIV>This is exactly why Phoenix will be covered meters deep in dry ice during the winter.It is not expected to suvive. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

3488 · May 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This is exactly why Phoenix will be covered meters deep in dry ice during the winter.It is not expected to suvive. Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV>I hope Phoenix lasts long enough to allow views of it beginning to accumulate, perhaps just after the Autumn Equinox?????? I would expect some water frost before then.I thought the press conference said minus 80 C. efron says minus 88 C???????? That's quite a difference.Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

MeteorWayne · May 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I hope Phoenix lasts long enough to allow views of it beginning to accumulate, perhaps just after the Autumn Equinox?????? I would expect some water frost before then.I thought the press conference said minus 80 C. efron says minus 88 C???????? That's quite a difference.Andrew Brown. Posted by 3488</DIV> Official scribblenotesHigh -30C (-22F)Low -80C (-112F)Sol 1? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

efron_24 · May 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Official scribblenotesHigh -30C (-22F)Low -80C (-112F)Sol 1? Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV> Must be my eyes...It's been days since I had some good sleep.. ha haTime zones are killing me already.. and now I also try to adapt to mars timeOne just wants to see it alllll..my eyes are closing .. I should get some sleep -80. sorry <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

tanstaafl76 · May 27, 2008

Well that's a bit brisk.  Hope Phoenix brought a sweater <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" title="Wink" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

MeteorWayne · May 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> Well that's a bit brisk.  Hope Phoenix brought a sweater Posted by tanstaafl76</DIV> That's kind of the point. While there's sun, Phoenix can keep warm during the "night" (which is not true night, since the sun never sets for the next few months).When the sun goes below the horozon regularly (~ 90 days) it's a battle between energy gained during the day vs energy expended during the night staying alive. How long can you stretch it?Once dry ice covers the craft, it's all energy loss.... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

lucaspf · May 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Sorry I do not understand? Is there anything we should have noticed????????Below, a blowup, cropped & contrast enhanced shot of the rocks on the surface behind the shot of Phoenix with the USA flag & Messages from Earth CD Rom.What is immediately obvious is that two of them are very clearly volcanic basalt with vesicles, with some others appearing flat topped & sedimentary????Debris thrown out of the Heimdall Crater????? http://www.photodump.com/Anonymous/Various%20kinds%20of%20rocks%20Phoenix%20(sol%202)..htmlAndrew Brown. Posted by 3488</DIV> Andrew,To my understanding any rocks thrown out in an imapct as ejecta are very angular and fractured in random orientations. If most these rocks are ejecta from Heimdall, something has either rounded/abrated or oriented(Wind, liquids, ice etc.) these rocks in some way since the impact. (My interpretation) I would like to know how old Heimdall is, for then we would have a possible time frame for the 'smoothing' process. I think the freeze thaw cycle has played a part in this process. Does anybody know how thick the ice gets around here? Also as a side note.....How is that mini DVD supposed to survive eternity in those conditions?   <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

lucaspf · May 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>That's kind of the point. While there's sun, Phoenix can keep warm during the "night" (which is not true night, since the sun never sets for the next few months).When the sun goes below the horozon regularly (~ 90 days) it's a battle between energy gained during the day vs energy expended during the night staying alive. How long can you stretch it?Once dry ice covers the craft, it's all energy loss.... Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV> I truely hope Phoenix is as plucky as the rovers...It would be awesome to see the onset of a martian winter. At least long enough to see the first icy deposits accumulate. I am suprised by the wind speed. Thought it would be much less.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

trailrider · May 27, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> It's amazing that they were able to capture the lander and parachute on their way to the surface.  I was of the impression (from the animation) that the 'chute was of a round design?  In the MRO picture, it almost looks as though it hasn't fully inflated. SK  Posted by SpaceKiwi</DIV> See my other post, with the question about whether the chute deploys initially in a reefed configuration (with a band around the bottom to keep it from opening fully, which would be too much of a shock for the chute).  It would make sense.  The Shuttle SRB's deploy the main chutes reefed (2 reefing lines around the canopy), and two squib-actuated guillotine cutters on each reefing line cut the line in sequence, so the chute opens in three stages: reefing one, reefing two (the canopy opens a bit more, but not fully) and then completely disreefed.  Eases the shock of opening at too high a speed. But I don't know about the chute on the Phoenix lander.Ad Luna! Ad Ares! Ad Astra!

derekmcd · May 27, 2008

Needless to say, but that HiRISE image of phoenix descending by Heimdall Crater is quite possibly the coolest image I have ever seen. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div> <div>"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</div> </div>

efron_24 · May 28, 2008

Good morning... There are several new images on the Phoenix site.Among them some very special. The first that must have been uploaded tonight clearly see little holes were stones were pushed away as Phoenix came down. You can see they are perhaps half a centimeter deep. The ground around them is disturbed..http://fawkes3.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=554&cID=8 And than there are images where something very white is visual in the soil. I think some of you commented on that before.. It is near the Phoenix and could be icehttp://fawkes3.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=562&cID=8Very nice images (again) <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

Philotas · May 28, 2008

A new batch of images arrived some time ago; and this one appears to me to show that Phoenix certainly stirred up the soil quite a bit: http://fawkes4.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=573&cID=8 Edit: Goodness, beaten to it again. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

efron_24 · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>A new batch of images arrived some time ago; and this one appears to me to show that Phoenix certainly stirred up the soil quite a bit: http://fawkes4.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=573&cID=8 Edit: Goodness, beaten to it again. Posted by Philotas</DIV>sorrrry

-=-There is already part of a panorama http://fawkes3.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=612&cID=8in the middle of the picture there is a darker part. zoom in on the image-part right under it and you see a stone and the path (coming from the shadow) it moved. Also visual here, but than without the stonehttp://fawkes3.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=526&cID=8 impressive <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

scottb50 · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>A new batch of images arrived some time ago; and this one appears to me to show that Phoenix certainly stirred up the soil quite a bit: http://fawkes4.lpl.arizona.edu/images.php?gID=573&cID=8Edit: Goodness, beaten to it again. Posted by Philotas</DIV>What I see is a lt a debis that hasn't been distrubed for a long time. Rocks covered with dust, but undisturbed where they sit. I don't see any signs of a dynamic cycle, ice coming and going or moving things around. Possibly dust  settling on ice in the winter might account for the deposits on some rocks, but they look pretty much happy where they are. If there had been thawing and freezing it makes senses they would show movement, all the current pictures show, what I assume to be debris from impacts pretty much where they landed, not a good sign for finding liquid water.What exists below might show differences, but I am beginning to doubt life ever existed on Mars, some of thew rocks look like they have been in place for a long time.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

3488 · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> Andrew,To my understanding any rocks thrown out in an imapct as ejecta are very angular and fractured in random orientations. If most these rocks are ejecta from Heimdall, something has either rounded/abrated or oriented(Wind, liquids, ice etc.) these rocks in some way since the impact. (My interpretation) I would like to know how old Heimdall is, for then we would have a possible time frame for the 'smoothing' process. I think the freeze thaw cycle has played a part in this process. Does anybody know how thick the ice gets around here? Also as a side note.....How is that mini DVD supposed to survive eternity in those conditions?   Posted by lucaspf</DIV>Hi lucaspf,Good point. I see what you mean about the angular shape of rocks, thrown out of an impact. I wonder if we are seeing a mixture here. The volcanic rocks appear to be rounder where as the suspect sedimentary ones are more angular. Two different sources? Are the volcanic ones the native ones here & the sedimentary ones Heimdall Crater ejecta? I dunno, just plucking at straws here.http://www.photodump.com/Anonymous/Various%20rocks%20sol%202.html <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/14/5/ee507d7b-ba16-48b9-95a9-291ed39be8d2.Medium.jpg" alt="" />http://www.photodump.com/Anonymous/Angular%20rock%20sol%202.html <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/13/5/5de2e896-a903-42ee-954b-d72e1f131eca.Medium.jpg" alt="" />http://www.photodump.com/Anonymous/Flat%20topped%20small%20rock%20Alt%20-13.91%20deg%20Azm%20160.68%20deg.html <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/11/10/2bba35bb-3820-4235-9ac8-778ca67096de.Medium.jpg" alt="" />http://www.photodump.com/Anonymous/small%20stones%20Alt%20-14.16%20deg%20Azm%20328.59%20deg%20Sol%202.html <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/15/13/cfd19591-3069-4b31-8d4e-f40e2929b23a.Medium.jpg" alt="" />http://www.photodump.com/Anonymous/Area%20close%20to%20Phoenix%20Alt%20-27.17%20deg%20Azm%20328.48%20deg.html <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/12/8/fcac3c36-ada6-4863-a881-0bb118e34b27.Medium.jpg" alt="" />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

photo_x · May 28, 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8LXhq3gsn0

JonClarke · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>What I see is a lt a debis that hasn't been distrubed for a long time. Rocks covered with dust, but undisturbed where they sit. I don't see any signs of a dynamic cycle, ice coming and going or moving things around. Possibly dust  settling on ice in the winter might account for the deposits on some rocks, but they look pretty much happy where they are. If there had been thawing and freezing it makes senses they would show movement, all the current pictures show, what I assume to be debris from impacts pretty much where they landed, not a good sign for finding liquid water.What exists below might show differences, but I am beginning to doubt life ever existed on Mars, some of thew rocks look like they have been in place for a long time.  Posted by scottb50</DIV>Scott,  I see the opposite.  The polygons and the complete absence of small craters points to a very active surface, probably at least as active as the ripple dunes at Meridiani.  I don't see any sign of thick dust, just very thin veneer that is unable to obscure colour differences between rocks.  Whether or not there is (or was) life is a different questions!cheersJon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

JonClarke · May 28, 2008

Linked to previously, but here it is for those who did not see it.  Phoenix on it's parachute against Heimdall crater.  Surely one of the great Mars images to date.  I can't wait for the colour one.<img style="-ms-interpolation-mode:nearest-neighbor;width:665px;height:359px" src="http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/230838main_PSP_008579_9020_descent.jpg" alt="" width="1046" height="520" />Higher resolution http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/images/press/PSP_008579_9020_descent.htmlJon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars Arthur Clarke </div>

MeteorWayne · May 28, 2008

<div class="address">NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter successfully received information from the Phoenix Mars Lander Tuesday evening and relayed the information to Earth. The relayed transmission included images and other data collected by Phoenix during the mission's second day after landing on Mars. The UHF radio system used by the orbiter to communicate with the lander had gone into a standby mode earlier Tuesday for a still undetermined cause. This prevented sending Phoenix any new commands from Earth on Tuesday. Instead, the lander carried out a backup set of activity commands that had been sent Monday. NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter is scheduled for relaying commands to the lander on Wednesday morning. </div> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

3488 · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter successfully received information from the Phoenix Mars Lander Tuesday evening and relayed the information to Earth. The relayed transmission included images and other data collected by Phoenix during the mission's second day after landing on Mars. The UHF radio system used by the orbiter to communicate with the lander had gone into a standby mode earlier Tuesday for a still undetermined cause. This prevented sending Phoenix any new commands from Earth on Tuesday. Instead, the lander carried out a backup set of activity commands that had been sent Monday. NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter is scheduled for relaying commands to the lander on Wednesday morning. Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV>Cheers for the updates Wayne.Great News everyone. The UHF radio onboard MRO is back up & working perfectly. The cause of yesterday's shutdown is still unknown, but is working fine now.I must admit, I was getting worried, that if MRO's radio could not be fixed & Odyssey went into Safe Mode, we'd be dead in the water, unless the ESA Mars Express could be maneuvered into a desirable orbit (scuppering her own mission).I can see the sense of not having the capability to transmit directly to Earth (more powerful, larger, heavier, therefore more costly HGA, with the possibility of reduced Science Payload), as the MRO is still fairly 'new', but Odyssey & Mars Express however are ageing.However the UHF failure on MRO, though now fixed, is a wake up call, to maybe include ALL future landers with the capability of direct to Earth communication. I hope Phoenix now over the next sol or two will complete & transmit the initial 360 degree panorama, start transmitting the high resolution one & to get that stowed arm out & start digging.I may seem a bit punchy, but this mission IS very time limited, due to the far northerly latitude, declining solar power after 24th June (Martian Northern Summer Solstice this martian year & dust build up on the arrays) & the changing Martian seasons will finish the mission, possibly @ some point between Sol 90 & Sol 150, so time is of the essence here.Spaceflightnow.com article.http://spaceflightnow.com/mars/phoenix/080527mroradio.htmlAndrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

3488 · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Linked to previously, but here it is for those who did not see it.  Phoenix on it's parachute against Heimdall crater.  Surely one of the great Mars images to date.  I can't wait for the colour one.Higher resolution http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/phoenix/images/press/PSP_008579_9020_descent.htmlJon Posted by jonclarke</DIV>Hi Jon, Do you think there will be a colour one, owing to the low possibility of capturing Phoenix on the Chute from MRO with HiRISE?? Anyway, it would have been a good observation of Heimdall Crater none the less.Also, how do you post images directly on the board? I noticed Swampcat too has posted decent shortcuts & decent images straight on.Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> "I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before". Linda Morabito on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.http://www.launchphotography.com/ http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearthhttp://web.me.com/meridianijournal </div>

bearack · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hi Jon, Do you think there will be a colour one, owing to the low possibility of capturing Phoenix on the Chute from MRO with HiRISE?? Anyway, it would have been a good observation of Heimdall Crater none the less.Also, how do you post images directly on the board? I noticed Swampcat too has posted decent shortcuts & decent images straight on.Andrew Brown. Posted by 3488</DIV>The one nice thing about pluck is all you have to do is copy and paste.  <img src="http://pal2pal.com/BLOGEE/images/uploads/phoenix_lander_labels.jpg" alt="" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <img id="06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53" src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/6/14/06322a8d-f18d-4ab1-8ea7-150275a4cb53.Large.jpg" alt="blog post photo" /> </div>

derekmcd · May 28, 2008

Here's a gallery of some really nice high res.  images of the Phoenix Lander while still at Lockheed Martin in Denver being worked on. Link here In case you haven't seen it in all its glory.  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div> <div>"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</div> </div>

Philotas · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>What I see is a lt a debis that hasn't been distrubed for a long time. Rocks covered with dust, but undisturbed where they sit. I don't see any signs of a dynamic cycle, ice coming and going or moving things around. Possibly dust  settling on ice in the winter might account for the deposits on some rocks, but they look pretty much happy where they are. If there had been thawing and freezing it makes senses they would show movement, all the current pictures show, what I assume to be debris from impacts pretty much where they landed, not a good sign for finding liquid water.What exists below might show differences, but I am beginning to doubt life ever existed on Mars, some of thew rocks look like they have been in place for a long time.  Posted by scottb50</DIV> Then I suggest that you to take a look at this panorama to put things in context. The soil is clearly darker closer to lander; presumably because the underlaying layers of soil are darker than the top layer. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

rybanis · May 28, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Here's a gallery of some really nice high res.  images of the Phoenix Lander while still at Lockheed Martin in Denver being worked on.Link hereIn case you haven't seen it in all its glory.  Posted by derekmcd</DIV>I was really hoping to see some pictures of the descent rockets, but alas. I'm pretty interested in that part of the lander, and I can't seem to find anything about them that isn't entirely tech-jargon

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